Photo By Scott Sturkol | Fort McCoy personnel attend the installation Safety and Occupational Health Advisory...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy conducted a July session of the Safety and Occupational Health Advisory Council (SOHAC) on July 8 that included Fort McCoy Garrison representatives from all directorates and offices.
This meeting, led by the Fort McCoy Installation Safety Office (ISO) was presided over by Fort McCoy’s Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon. Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major, also was present for the meeting as well as directorate and special staff leaders.
Installation Safety Manager Ed De Leon led the discussion throughout. He began discussing the Army Safety and Occupational Health System, citing the importance for leaders, supervisors, and the workforce to complete necessary safety training.
De Leon also discussed the 101 Days of Summer Safety awareness campaign and why this awareness is important.
“Twenty-five percent of garrison safety incidents occur between Memorial Day weekend and June 30,” De Leon said.
He also discussed vehicle accident trends, noting that 66 percent of recordable Army accidents involve a motor vehicle, and one-third of safety incidents for fiscal year 2025 for Fort McCoy are vehicle related.
De Leon then addressed risk management and what it is.
“Army Risk Management is a systematic, five-step process used to identify, assess, and control risks associated with all hazards that could impact personnel, equipment, or mission success,” De Leon said in giving the definition. “It’s a decision-making tool designed to balance the potential costs of risk against the benefits of achieving the mission. The goal is to maximize operational effectiveness and ensure mission accomplishment while minimizing potential negative impacts.”
And what comes with risk management is also having the right equipment to do the job. De Leon emphasized the importance for supervisors and leaders to complete risk management assessments for their employees as well as assessments for personal protective (PPE) equipment needed.
“It’s important to evaluate job hazards and have the PPE required to mitigate those hazards,” De Leon said.
De Leon also mentioned the importance of “toolbox talks,” where teams can have five- to 10-minute discussions on any safety topic. It’s a discussion that can be led by a supervisor or an employee. Most importantly, it’s that safety is being emphasized in the workplace.
“These are talks where you can maintain attendance records, and they can be conducted as often as necessary,” De Leon said.
From a larger perspective, the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center further explains the need for risk management in today’s Army at https://safety.army.mil/ON-DUTY/Risk-Management.
“Leaders and managers are responsible for integrating risk management into all Army processes and operations,” the website states. “Risk management is the Army’s process for helping organizations and individuals make informed decisions to reduce or offset risk. Using this process increases operational effectiveness and the probability of mission accomplishment.
“It is a systematic way of identifying hazards, assessing them, and managing the associated risks,” the website states. “While safety-related, risk management is not contained solely within the protection warfighting function. Commanders, staff, Army leaders, Soldiers, and Army civilians integrate risk management into all planning, preparing, executing, and assessing of operations. The process applies to all types of operations, tasks, and activities. Commanders ensure first-line supervisors apply the process where it has the greatest impact. Individuals should also use the process for off-duty activities.”
The next SOHAC meeting with all tenant activities included is planned for October.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2025 17:13 |
| Story ID: | 542255 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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